Issue 17-48: Labour Productivity

March 8, 2017

Workers in B.C. businesses earned $99.6 billion in wages, salaries and benefits during 2015, an increase of 4.5% over the previous year. This marked the first time since 2006 that labour income in the province has grown faster than the national average (+3.0% in 2015).

Since 2001, labour income in neighbouring Alberta ($144.1 billion) has exceeded that of B.C., despite the fact that there are about 500 thousand fewer people living in that province.

In 2015, Ontario (+4.7%), B.C. (+4.5%) and P.E.I. (+3.8%) were the regions to post the most notable growth in labour income. Conversely, Alberta (-1.7%) was the only province where labour incomed slowed.